Dirigible construction



March 10, 1931. c, s, L 1,795,335 DIRIGIBLE CONSTRUCTION Filed lan. 19, 1929 2 Sheets -Sheet 1 FIE g1 I N VEN TOR.

C. 5. HHLL ATTORNEY.

March 10, 1931. c. s. HALL DIRIGIBLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 19, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVNTOR. C. S. HHLL Patented Mar. 10, 1931 P er- CHARLES S. HALL OE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA nrereretn consrancrroiv Application filed January 19,1929. SerialINo. 333,695."

V A further object of the invention is to pro- This invention relates to improvements in vide an improved gas holder having a mov-' able wall. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a gas holder having a movable wall wherein the position of thewall visibly indicates the pressure and volume within the gas holder.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means to a'utomatically'retain the gas in agas holder at a predetermined temperature. h

Other objects and the advantages of this invention will be apparentfromthe follow ing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a sideview of a dirigible in connection with whichI haveshown my invention.

,Fig. 2 is an thed'irigible shown in Fig. 1. V V I l ig. 3 is a fragmentary section of the dirigible taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, j

. Fig. lis an enlarged fragmentary section similar to Fig. 2 showing-the parts thereof in perspective. I p H q j j Fig eis an enlarged fragmentary section through one of the movable walls. U I

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical appliances and 1 s Fig. 7 is a frontlface view of the indicat ing board located in the central control station of the dirigible. I V 1 Referring to the drawings by reference characters I have indicated an aircraft generally at 10.. The aircraft shown is ofthe lighter-than-air dirigible type andis preferably of rigid or semi-rigid construction;

As shown'the aircraft lOcomprisesan outer envelopelll having one or more gas holding compartments 12 therein and having a cabin guide 525...- I

enlarged cross section through 13 with a control station 14 located: at the forward end. V The gas holders 12 are shownas of rigid constructitmand each include side and top Walls 15, end walls 16 and a bottom wall 17. Each of the gas holders 12 is shown as dis vided into two compartments 18 and19 bya wall 20 and a duck walk 21 which is formed by ceiling member 22; and movable walls 23. The movable walls 23 are each. pivot'ally. supported adjacent their upper endso-n arod 24 which is supported by the end' walls 16 and the lower end of the wall 23 is adapted to move along a curved guide 25. Each of the movable walls 23 is shown as adapted; to be urged inwardly against the pressure of gases by a plurality of coiled springs 25.

To prevent leakage of the gas in each gas holding compartment I provide a flexible member 26 which i's'made in the general shape of an open topped bag and is secured to the end walls 16, the partition 20, the top of the ceiling member 22 the innerface of the Wall 23', and adjacent theupper end of the curved 1 The member 26 is loose adjacent the hinge bar 24 as at 27 and the portion 28 thereof from the free lower end of the wall 23 to thetopof the guide 25 and the sides as at 29 areloose and adapted when the Wall is in a raised position'to fol d upon themselves V As'shown in Fig. 5 I provide a pointer 30 on the Wall 23and' adjacent the hinge bar 24 and adjacent one of the walls 16 on whioh I provide a scale 31 graduatedto show theconditions within the gas holding compartment. On the wall 23 Iprovide a pressure indicating device 32 which is adapted to show the pressure within its associated compartment.

On each of themovable walls 23 I have go shown a heater 35 and a temperature indicatorUa-nd regulator 36 but it will be under stood that they may be located at any other point on the gas holding compartment if der h h a e 8 1 m. b ofany esired type but shown as including coils of electrical resistance elements 37. j v j N As shown the heat indicator and regulator includes an arm 38 made of a thermal, responsive'metal which acts both as an indieating pointer in conjunction with a graduated scale 39 and as a switch arm. Mounted on the arm.38 I provide a contact bar 40 which when the arm is in one position is adapted to bridge a pair of contacts 41 and 42 and when the arm is in another position to bridge a pair of contacts 43 and 44. On the arm 38 I provide another contact bar 45 which is adapted to contact with a rheostat coil 46 and a track 47. 7

One end of the heater coil 37 is connected by a wire 50 to one side of a source of electrical energy or battery 51 through a switch 52. The other end of the coil is connected by a wire 53 to the contact 42 and the contact 43 is connected by a wire 54 to the other side of the battery 51.

It will thus be seen that when the gas in the gas holding compartment cools and the thermal responsive arm 38 moves towards the left and the contact bar 40 bridges the contacts 41 and 42 current from the battery will flow to the coil 37 and heat the same thereby heating the gases in the compartment. The contact bar 40 will bridge the contacts 41 and 42 until the temperature rises to a predetermined point whereupon the thermal responsive arm 38 will move the contact bar 40 outof engagement with the contacts 41 and 42.

The switch 52 includes a pivoted arm 55 having a solenoid core 56 secured thereto which acts in conjunction with a solenoid winding 57. One end of the solenoid winding 57 is connected by a wire 58 to the wire 54 and the opposite end of the winding is connected by a wire 59 to the contact 44 and the contact 43 is connected by a wire 60 to the wire 50 between the switch 52 and the battery 51.

Should the wires to the heater 35 become short circuited past the contacts 41 and 42 in any manner the thermoresponsive arm 38 will move tothe right until the contact bar 40 bridges the contacts 43 and 44 thereby completing a circuit through the solenoid winding 57 and causing the solenoid core 56 to move the switch arm 52 and break the circuit from the battery to the heater 35.

In the central control station 14 of the dirigible I preferably provide a temperature indicator 62 which is controlled by the inclicator 36. As shown the indicator 62 includes a pointer 63 which is adapted to be operated by a volt meter 64 or otherisimilar device having a pair of contacts 65 and 66.

The rheostat coil 46 is connected by a wire 67 to the wire 60 and the track 47 is connected by a wire 68 tothe contact 65 of the indicator 62 and the contact 66 thereof is connected by a wire 69 to the wire 54. Thus as the contact bar 45 moves across the rheostat 46 and track 47 the flow of current to the volt meter 64 will be varied and the pointer 63 will indicate the gas temperature on a graduated scale 70 of the indicator 62.

Adjacent the indicator 62 I provide a danger signal which is shown as an electric bulb 72 which is adapted to be lighted should the gas temperature rise to a dangerous point. As shown the bulb 72 is connected by a wire 73 to the wire 54 and by a wire 74 to a contact 75 and an associate contact 76 is connected by a wire 77 to the wire 50. The contacts 75 and 76 are adapted to be bridged by a contact bar 78 mounted on the pointer 63 which will, when the pointer reaches a predetermined point complete an electric circuit from the battery to-the bulb.

As shown in Fig. 7 I preferably provide in the central control station 14 an indicator board 80 having thereon a top plan diagrammatic view 81 of the dirigible showing the gas holding compartments thereof and within each compartment on the board I position the indicators 62 and bulbs 72 of the corresponding compartment of the dirigible. Thus the control operator can tell by a glance at the board 80 the condition of the various compartments of the dirigible.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent from the following description that I have provided a novel dirigible which is simple in construction and highly eflicient in operation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An aircraft including a gas containing compartment, said compartment including a movable wall, said wall being pivoted to swing and means adapted to normally swing said movable wall to reduce the area of said compartment, a graduated scale adjacent said movable wall and means operable by said wall to indicate on said scale the gas pressure within said compartment.

2. In an aircraft including a gas containing compartment, a volume indicating means on said compartment, a temperature device associated with said compartment, a station remote from said compartment and means at said station coacting with said device to indicate the temperature in said compartment.

3. An aircraft including a gas containing compartment, said compartment including a movable wall, said wall being pivoted to swing and means adapted to normally swing said movable wall to reduce the area of said compartment, an indicator adjacent to said movable wall and means operable by said wall to indicate the gas pressure within said compartment, a second indicator adjacent said wall and means whereby said second indicator indicates the volume of said comp'artment.

4.In an aircraft, a gas containing compartment, said compartment including a movable wall, said wall being pivoted adj acent its upper end and adapted to swing, resilient means associated with said wall adapted to normally swing said wall inward against the pressure of the gas in said compartment, a heater on said wall adapted to heat the gas in said compartment and a heat indicator and regulator on said wall and means connecting said movable wall and the wallsofsaid compartment to form a gas tight seal therebetween.

I 5. In an aircraft including an outer shell having gas containing compartments therein and a central control station, a temperature responsive instrument associated with each of said compartments, an instrument board at said central control station, a diagram of said aircraft on said instrument board indicating said compartments, an indicating instrument associated with each compartment represented on said diagram, said indicatmg instruments being operably connected to the temperature responsive instrument of said gas contaming compartments. 7

6. In an alrcraft including an outer shell having a gas containing compartment there- .in and a central control statlon, a temperature responslve mstrument assoclated with said compartment, an instrument board in said central control station, a diagram of sald aircraft on said instrument board and showing said compartment, an indicating instrument associated with said diagram, said indicating instrument being operably connected to the temperature responsive instrument of c said gas containing compartment.

7. An aircraft including a gas holding compartment, said compartment including a wall having a movable portion, said wall being pivotally mounted and means visible from the exterior of said compartment to indicate the position of said movable Wall.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

CHARLES s. HALL.- 

